Thursday, June 30, 2011

Sunshine Day

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Yesterday was fairly slow. I got up nice and early (I'm starting to do that more often now), got a library card (I lost my first one many years ago), and took a trip to target. I also scheduled an appointment to dye my hair. I'm sure you guys recall my whining about my streaky hair. Today, I'm going to get it all dyed lighter, hopefully a light honey-ish brown, as long as I speak up for what I want this time around. I'm a bit terrified because I've never dyed all of my hair, and the hairdresser was all, "we'll have to cross our fingers since a lot of times when you go from dark to light the hair takes on an orangey tint." So, yeah. A little terrified over here, but I really hope it works out! Have any of you gone lighter? I could use the encouragement!

Blouse: H&M
Skirt: Forever 21
Vest: Goodwill
Shoes: Urban Outfitters

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(Nota Bene: This photo is so strange. It doesn't even look like those are my hands in the picture due to the focus. Ah well, at least you can see my nail polish. Or is it someone else's nail polish?! Dun dun dun...)

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Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Swapped Shorts

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So, I'm really excited to share these photos with you guys since this is one of my favorite outfits I've worn in while. About a week ago, Michal suggested we do a clothing swap, and I was so excited that I emailed her nearly immediately. After pondering what to ask her to swap, I remembered seeing these shorts on her blog a while ago and was so happy to hear that she would send them over to me! These shorts have been on my Modcloth wishlist for quite a long time, so I was totally stoked to have the opportunity to finally style them up. I may just have to buy a pair for myself after I return her pair to her. Parting with cute shorts is such sweet sorrow.

Also, I just wanted to thank you guys for voting for me in that poetry contest I mentioned yesterday. It means a ton to me that you guys are so supportive of my passions and interests, and I hope that I can be just as good of a pal to all of you wonderful ladies!

Blouse: Asos
Shorts: Michal's
Sandals: Urban Outfitters

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Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Doing the Polka

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Yesterday started off with me feeling nervous and frazzled - and sleepy - but ended up being quite wonderful. In the morning, I met with a woman - who I am now interning for! - to discuss what I would be doing to help her small press. I was worried because I didn't know what to expect, whether it would be an intense interview or a very casual meeting, but it ended up being lovely and I'm excited to work with them! Afterwards, my mom and I went outlet shopping, where I managed to snag a few good deals, mainly 40% off an already reduced gap cardigan (I am desperately in need of cardigans!) and this here boater hat! I've been looking for one for a long time, and I finally found one at the Aldo outlet - and reduced! I had a really lovely time driving on the upstate country highway, listening to the Shins, and doing some shopping.

This outfit isn't really anything special, since I wanted to keep things toned down for my interview. I simply added the boater hat since I liked how the two sets of polka dots looked together. This dress is apparently what I wear to look "professional." On all of the interviews I've been on this summer, I've worn this dress. Perhaps it's because it makes me feel like a secretary from the 50's?

Dress: Forever 21
Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Hat: Aldo

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Also! Just before I go, I never like to ask things of you guys, but I'm going to put my pride aside for a moment. As you all probably know by now, I love poetry. Figment.com is having a contest where people submit poems starting with the line "I want to play in a band with a crazy name." The ten poems with the most "hearts" will be judged by Billy Collins. For those of you who don't know, Billy Collins is the poet who made me love poetry. He is first and foremost my favorite poet, and the idea of him reading my poem would be a dream come true. If you have a moment to help a gal out, click here to go to the figment website and create a free account (it seriously takes a few seconds) and then click here to "heart" my poem, Bartleby and the Squid Belts. Thanks so much for your support. You guys are the best, and I really appreciate this.



Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Monday, June 27, 2011

Writing Weekly, A New Feature!

Hello all! I've been thinking a lot about my blog lately, and whether or not I want to make any changes to what I post here. Coco Maria is certainly first and foremost a daily style blog. I started it with the intention of posting pictures of my daily outfits, and I love doing that, so that's not going anywhere. Something else I love, though, has been taking a back seat on this blog: poetry. I'm going through tis transitional phase in my life where I'm trying to figure out what poetry means to me (that sounded less pretentious in my head). What I mean to say is that for a long time I thought of poetry as a hobby, something I loved but not something I would whole heartedly pursue. This year at school has kind of made me reconsider that, which both frightens and excites me. Though I'm not sure what path I'll ultimately pursue, I will be reading a lot this summer, and hopefully writing a bit too. My plan for the Writing Weekly feature as of now is to share something I'm reading or have read over the summer, probably a book of poetry but sometimes a novel, and share my thoughts and a few excerpts for you guys. Maybe if I'm working on something, I'll share that here some weeks instead of something I've read, but we'll just see how it goes :)


The Soul Farmer by Jeff McDaniel

In the beginning, with only a few acres
of humans to care for, god planted
each soul by hand, but over time,
as his business grew, he got more

and more removed from the day-to-day
of his enterprise. Now he reclines
in a celestial hammock, nibbling meteors
like intergalactic hors d'oeuvres,

star clusters glittering like martini
glasses. His migrant angels oversee
his humanoid crop, plucking us
as we ripen. Ah, the rich taste

of a tormented soul properly marinated
in experience.
The messages pile up
on his prayer machine. Centuries
since he's repainted the sky.


For the first Writing Weekly post, I wanted to share a book of poetry I read called The Endarkenment by Jeffrey McDaniel. I actually took a poetry workshop with Jeff last semester that probably ended up being the most beneficial class I've taken so far. I had read some of his poetry during the week before the start of spring semester and was totally blown away by how much I enjoyed his poetry. Right after the semester ended, I ordered this book of his and quickly read it from cover to cover. Jeff's poetry is the kind I like to read, and hope to write. It's real. It's not pretentious or difficult to understand. It's grounded in things you can see and feel. He can take something very ordinary, and make it into an interesting, meaningful experience. In his poem "Air Empathy," for example, hearing a baby cry on a plane becomes a reflection of emotion, and why it's so taboo to express extreme emotion after you've become a certain age. His poems can also have the opposite effect. In his poem "The Soul Farmer," he discusses the absence of god in his life and the lives of others, a grand idea, and compares it to something as simple as farming, while painting god in a surreal, interesting light. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Jeff's poetry. He looks at simple things in interesting and new ways, and really allows the reader to come along for the ride with him. I highly recommend reading his work, especially if you find yourself disliking most poetry you come across. I'm very picky when it comes to what I like to read, especially with poetry, because I find that a lot of poetry is lofty and inaccessable, making sense mostly to the poet, but leaving the reader in the dust. Jeff's poetry is the opposite of that. It's real and wonderful, and I think you should read it.

Air Empathy by Jeff McDaniel


On the red-eye from Seattle, a two-year-old
in the seat behind me screeches

his miniature guts out. Instead of dreaming
of stuffing a wad of duct tape into his mouth,

I envy him, how he lets his pain spurt
into the open. I wish I could drill

a pipeline into the fields of ache, tap
a howl. How long would I need to sob

before the lady beside me dropped
her fashion rag, dipped a palm

into the puddle of me? How many
whimpers before another passenger

joined in? Soon the stewardess
hunched over the drink cart, the pilot

gushing into the controls, the entire plain:
an arrow of grief quivering through the sky.


Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Coney Island

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Yesterday was probably one of my favorite summer days so far. My parents, Zak, my sister and her husband, and I all headed out to Coney Island for the day. A place like Coney Island isn't generally where I like to hang out - lots of loud music, lots of people, lots of greasy food - but I actually had a lot of fun there. There's a lovely beach and a very kitschy boardwalk, so I had a good time snapping photos!

If you're following me on twitter, you probably saw all the melodrama over my hair. I wanted to bleach and dye my whole head a very light brown, but ended up with highlights that I'm not a big fan of. You can see in these pictures (unfortunately) how streaky it looks. Like I've been half-heartedly explaining to friends and family for the past two days, it's not so much the hairstyle, it's just that's it's not what I want. I'm hoping to get back in the salon sometime this week or next week to get the dye job I really want. Generally, I just go with the flow and trust my hairdresser on what to do with my hair, but I suppose I should have stood up for myself this time. Ah, well. It's a learning experience, and hopefully I'll end up with what I really want soon enough.

Top: Delia's
Skirt: Salvation Army
Belt: H&M
Sandals: Mom's
Sunnies: Ray Ban

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Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Every Road is a Ray of Light

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I've been thinking a lot lately about growing up and taking responsibility for myself. This summer is the first time I've really tried to embrace becoming an adult, as silly as that sounds. I kind of dived head first into applying for jobs, looking for an internship, and trying to make money. It's a very strange thing, at least for me it was, to go from having school be my main and pretty much only priority and having a lot of free time to frantically trying to do as much as I can. The thing is, though, I haven't done anything this summer yet, so it's all in my head at the moment. Next week, if things go according to plan, should be a start to a fairly busy rest of the summer. And as much as I really want to work, get experience, and make some money, I'm worried about the balancing of it all. Will I get to see Zak and my friends? Will I get time to myself at all? These questions probably seem silly and selfish to those of you who have been working for a while, and probably rightfully so, but right now I'm trying to convince myself that every opportunity is a good opportunity (hence the post title) and that I'll be able to manage everything gracefully. Here's hoping!

Anyway, this was my first go at the double denim trend. After seeing some of my favorite bloggers, like Emily, doing it, I really wanted to try a double denim outfit of my own. I really like the casual but put together feel of it, and this will probably become a staple summer outfit.

Top: Zak's old
Shorts: Levi's
Sandals: Nordstrom
Sunnies: Ray Ban

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Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Twin Lakes

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Yesterday, I had a strong desire to go somewhere beautiful, so Zak suggested we go to Twin Lakes, a lake and nature trail nearby. I had such a wonderful time roaming the woods, looking at the slightly mucky but still lovely lake, taking too many photos, and laughing my butt off with Zak. One of the main things I dislike about living in New York City is how difficult it is to escape from the urban to the natural. Taking outfit shots around my neighborhood is a hassle because no one, including myself, even has a lawn, let alone a nice field of flowers by their house. So, when I get to escape to places like this, even if just for an hour or so, it makes me quite happy. So happy, that I take way too many photos and post them all here. So yeah, this is my warning that this post is going to be a bit photo heavy.

Top: Sears
Shorts, Shoes: Urban Outfitters
Hat: Salvation Army


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Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Monday, June 20, 2011

Father's Day

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Yesterday, my family and I went out to lunch to celebrate Father's Day. Being the terrible daughter that I am, I didn't take any photos with my dad or of the lunch. I even almost forgot to give him his present (a guide book on California, since we're visiting next month)! Like I said, terrible. My relationship with my father has been iffy since I was a kid, and he gets on my nerves quite easily, but yesterday was surprisingly enjoyable. We had a lot of laughs and a lot of Italian food, so I can't complain. My dad may say and do some things that upset me, but when it comes down to it, he's my dad, and everyone makes mistakes sometimes.

I wasn't planning on wearing this dress yesterday, but the outfit I had planned out in my head just didn't end up feeling right. The colors are a bit wintery on this dress, but I just decided to cut the long sleeves off the other day and I wanted to try it out in its new, warm weather version. I think I'll get a lot more wear out of it now!

Dress: Salvation Army
Shoes: Forever 21
Belt: Delia's

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Until tomorrow,
Nicole

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Daily Life

Yesterday morning, I met up with one of my best friends, Charlotte, to go to the local famer's market and get some lunch. Charlotte is the first "real friend" I made while at college, and lucky for me, she decided to stay on campus this summer instead of going home to Florida. So, since she's still here, we get to go on fun little summer adventures like this. I'm trying to get better at taking more pictures of the things I do everyday. When I go on vacation, my camera is practically glued to my face, but when I go on little daily adventures I'm lucky if I remember to even take it out of my bag. So, I didn't take too many photos today, but I did manage to snap a few shots of the neighborhood, the food we ate (delicious churos!), and of course, I took a photo of Charlotte who was wearing such a cool outfit! She even took a photo for me (my apologies for being a terribly difficult/awful model, Charlotte)!

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Until tomorrow,
Nicole